Prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,210,327: 4,114,881: 3,874,666; 266,598; 802,264; 3,698,720; 4,334,707: 4,398,716; GB Patent No. 2,128,484 and DE 2,254,275. None of the above inventions incorporate the unique structure herein described for a tennis ball holder that is engineered for economical fabrication and efficient function for easily engaging the nap surface of the ball when ball and holder are simply pressed together and for readily releasing the ball from its grasp with a simple pull without damage to ball or holder even in repeated use. Many tennis players have temporary or permanent infirmities that make constant bending to retrieve balls awkward or uncomfortable. A holder affixed to the end of a tennis racket can be used to pick up a fallen ball without stooping. For such an application, the holder should be small and light and constructed so as not to interfere with the ordinary playing functions of the racket. In playing tennis, at least two balls must be available for serving. It would be useful to have a releasable holder attached to the player's clothing to hold one or more balls to leave both hands free for playing, without forcing spare balls into pockets.